Southern Fried Potatoes & Sausage

A simple budget-friendly recipe for a one-pan skillet meal with smoked sausage, onions and southern-style fried potatoes.

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I wasn’t sure what to name this recipe. We never actually called it anything. If I was going to tell someone what I was cooking for supper, I’d just say something like fried potatoes and sausage. Around here, most folks would know what I meant.

But cooking for all y’all from the rest of the country has taught me that what we call something here can often mean something entirely different to everyone else.

I’m going to stick the “southern” label on the front of this recipe to try to point everyone’s mental taste buds to what we call fried potatoes and then just hope for the best. 

This isn’t exactly like traditional southern fried potatoes because this is cooked with less oil and the potatoes aren’t super crispy all over. The potatoes steam a little first then get a little crispy once the water evaporates.

And to confuse you even more, I might as well tell you our fried potatoes are cut into cubes like this OR they're made from sliced potatoes. Oh, and some people call them home fries. See what tricky business naming recipes can be?? 

[deep breath in] Anywaaaay... this is just a quick and easy skillet meal that’s simple to prepare and very affordable. You just sauté the smoked sausage, then add onions and potatoes. Once the potatoes cook about halfway, you crank up the heat and let them crisp up a bit. 

I like to eat mine with a little hot sauce and diced raw onion on top and the kids like theirs with ketchup. I typically serve this with Pork & Beans (Husband likes to stir the beans in with the sausage and potatoes) or Southern-Style Canned Green Beans. 

If you really want to have a carb fest, pull out some fresh stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth white bread, fold a piece like a hotdog bun, load it up with the sausage and potatoes then hit it with a bead of ketchup. It sounds weird but it’s soooooo gooooood.

I feel like people are going to ask about adding cheese. I think this is already so rich and heavy that the cheese wouldn’t add anything. But the good news is I am not the cheese police so you can certainly add some if you’d like! 

I haven’t made this with uncooked sausage (like Italian sausage or brats) but I imagine it would be pretty good too. I just like the salty, smokey sausage with the potatoes so much I’ve never wanted to make it any other way.

My very favorite is Hillshire Farm’s Smoked Sausage. I’ve always preferred smoked sausage over kielbasa but use whichever you like best. I’m an oddball who prefers the original sausages over the all-beef varieties (it’s a texture thing) but, again, use what you prefer.

I’ve never made this with “red sausages”. You know which ones I’m talking about?? I think they’re just called “red cooked sausage”. They’re inexpensive, bigger around than traditional smoked sausage, made into links and a distinctly bright shade of red somewhere between hot pink roller skate wheels and illegal firecrackers.  I never developed a taste for them so I can’t tell you anything about cooking them, though I know they are often served with potatoes (“taters and reds”).

A FEW NOTES ABOUT COOKING FRIED POTATOES AND SAUSAGE

• You’ll need about 5-6 cups cubed potatoes (around 2 pounds)
• Feel free to use bacon drippings instead of vegetable oil.
• Any type of potatoes will work but I prefer starchier russets in this.
• You don’t have to peel the potatoes. I did in this batch but sometimes I don’t. I like the way the skin crisps up a little but the kids like it better with peeled potatoes. 
• I say the garlic powder is optional because I don’t ever remember Mama or Nanny using it in their fried potatoes but I sure like it. 
• Kielbasa, andouille or any precooked, smoked sausage can be used in this recipe.

Recipe for Southern Fried Potatoes & Sausage

Southern Fried Potatoes & Sausage

Yield: 4-5 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A simple budget-friendly recipe for a one-pan skillet meal with smoked sausage, onions and southern-style fried potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb smoked sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5-6 russet potatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Cut sausage into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle a little vegetable oil in a large skillet (nonstick is best if you have it) then sauté sausage until well browned.
2. Meanwhile, peel potatoes then cut into cubes (about 3/4 inch).
3. Add potatoes, onions, 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil, water, salt, pepper and garlic then stir well.
4. Once water starts to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet then cook for 10 minutes. Using a spatula to scrape the bottom, flip sausage/potatoes once or twice to make sure they’re not sticking.
5. Remove lid then increase temperature to medium-high. Continue cooking 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender with some crispy edges. Use a spatula to flip sausage/potatoes (scraping the bottom) so that potatoes can crisp up a bit in the oil. Don’t stir the potatoes or they will fall apart (still tasty but not what we’re after here).
6. Serve immediately.

Notes

• You’ll need about 5-6 cups cubed potatoes (around 2 pounds)
• Feel free to use bacon drippings instead of vegetable oil.
• Any type of potatoes will work but I prefer starchier russets in this.
• You don’t have to peel the potatoes. I did in this batch but sometimes I don’t. I like the way the skin crisps up a little but the kids like it better with peeled potatoes. 
• I say the garlic powder is optional because I don’t ever remember Mama or Nanny using it in their fried potatoes but I sure like it. 
• Kielbasa, andouille or any precooked, smoked sausage can be used in this recipe.
• Check the article above if you have any other questions because it's entirely likely that I covered it there 😚

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2022/05/southern-fried-potatoes-sausage.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2022

sausage, potatoes, taters, kielbasa, smoke sausage, onions, fried, home fries, southern, how to, best, recipe, crispy, breakfast, hash, one-pan, skillet, meal, easy

dinner, supper, breakfast

American, Southern

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